Rat-trap.



J. A. BLACKEY.

RAT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

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INVENTOR J. A. BLAGKEY.

RAT TRAP.

' APPLIOATION FILED APE.12,'1912.

1,046,951. Patented Dec. 10,1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..\VA5H|N01ON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. BLACKEY, 0F MELR-OSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 FRANK W. SCRIGGINS, OF BRISTOL, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

RAT-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 12, 1912. Serial No. 690,334.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BLAoKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rat- Traps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in self-setting cage traps and comprises a simple and efiicient device of this nature, having various details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the trap,

and Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the cage of the trap which has a block B, forming the top thereof and to which the sides are securely fastened. Said top has an opening therein for the reception of the Well C, which has a tilting platform D forming a closure for the opening in the bottom thereof. Said platform is mounted upon a hinge D and has a weighted bar D projecting therefrom and which extends into the casing E where access may be had to the same through the opening controlled by the hinged door F. The bottom of the compartment E is forwardly and downwardly curved as at G and forms a stop to limit the tilting movement of the platform. It will be noted that the upper movement of the platform is limited by the shoulder H formed in the wall of the well C and that the wall about the lower portion of the well and below said shoulder is provided with a slot J adapted to receive one end of the slide K to hold the platform in a horizontal position or from tilting. Said slide is movable longitudinally between the guides I,

and its end which projects outside the cage has apertures therein for the reception of the retainmg pin N which latter is mounted in a vertically formed aperture N in one end of the cage, the upper end of the pin being bent at an angle as at N to form a handle.

Rising from the bottom of the well is a partition Q between which and the adjacent end of the trap is a space for the reception of the bait R and it will be noted that the wall of the Well intermediate the shoulder and the upper end of the partition is conveXed as at S. A hood T, open at T, covers a portion of the opening in the top of the well and a supplemental cage M rests upon the top of the cage proper and has a hinged top M, whereby access may be had to the interior of the cage M when it is desired to raise the hinged cover P, resting upon the upper end of the walls P of the compartment P having an open bottom and allowing communication with the chamber beneath. A suitable hook V is pivoted at V to the door M and its other end is adapted to engage an eye A upon the plate which forms the top to the cage. For convenience in carrying the trap a bail W has its ends fastened to the eyes W, one upon either side of the opening in the well.

The operation of the trap will be readily understood and is as follows :VVhen the slide L is at its farthest outer limit, it may be held in such position by means of the pin N, as shown in Fig. 2, which will allow the platform D to tilt when the weight of an animal comes upon the same, which will overbalance the weight upon the bar D in which event the platform will tilt as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and allow the animal to be precipitated in the cage below. After the weight of the animal has left the platform, the latter will return to its normal position, shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, and in contact with the shoulder H formed in the wall of the well above its lower end which will prevent the animal from below reopening or pulling down the platform. By reason of the convexed wall S, the animal, in the event of it reaching out to attempt to save itself, will find no secure footing and will by gravity be precipitated through the opening into the cage.

When it is desired to lock the platform from tilting, the slide K may be pushed in through the slot N and held in such position by the retaining pin N.

Access may be had to the bait-receiving receptacle through the medium of the opening controlled by a door in the supplemental cage M.

hat I claim to be new is A self-setting trap comprising a cage having an opening in the top thereof, a Well, a hood over said opening the bottom of said Well being open and having in the surrounding Wall thereof a shoulder above its lower end, a pivoted platform mounted upon the Wall of the Well and adapted to contact With said shoulder a portion of the Wall of the Well adjacent to said shoulder being convexed and terminating in a vertical partition, forming intermediate the same and the adjacent end of the Well a bait receptacle, and a supplemental cage over said bait receptacle, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. BLACKEY.

Witnesses E. O. GOODRIDGE, HARRY R. NORTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

